Hodgson Mill Recipe Blog

Whole Wheat Rosemary Rolls

Thanksgiving is coming up and that means there’s going to be a lot of cooking going on in my kitchen. Although the turkey is the star of the show, the side dishes help make the meal and are one of the most anticipated parts. Stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, Jello® salad (a family recipe) and of course – the rolls. Changing the type of roll I serve each Thanksgiving is about the only thing I’m allowed to change –everything else is set in stone.

This year I decided to make a new recipe –Whole Wheat Rosemary Rolls. They’re made with Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour, Hodgson Mill Naturally White Flour and Hodgson Mill Fast Rise Yeast, so you know right off the bat that these rolls are going to be good. Throw in some honey, fresh rosemary and the secret ingredient – instant mashed potato flakes for a softer texture- and you’re in business. These rolls are easy, flavorful and can be done ahead of time – perfect for Thanksgiving.

To get started, heat the milk and honey in a bowl in the microwave until warm – think bathwater warm – about 1-2 minutes on high. Pour the mixture into a bread machine pan or large bowl and whisk in the rosemary and yeast. Shut the lid or cover the bowl until the mixture becomes foamy – about 5 minutes.

Add the flours, potato flakes, dry milk, oil and salt to the bread pan and start the dough cycle. Monitor how the dough is coming together and add additional all-purpose flour if it seems too sticky. Allow the dough cycle to finish once you see that the dough is the right consistency – soft but not sticky.

If you don’t have a bread machine, this part can also be done with a dough hook or by hand. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – 1 ½ – 2 hours.

Look how lovely this dough is! It’s ready to get turned into some delicious dinner rolls. Yum!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and split into two halves.

Using your hands, pat the dough into a log about 16 inches long or until you can cut eight equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into a ball and place them one inch apart on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and cover the rolls. If you’re making the rolls ahead of time like me, then at this point you can stick the rolls in the refrigerator. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking. If they haven’t already risen, once you remove them from the refrigerator, be sure to let them come to room temperature and continue rising until they’re doubled in size. Mine needed an hour in my slightly warm oven (turn the oven on for 3-4 minutes and then turn it off) to finish doubling. Otherwise, leave the covered rolls in a warm spot for 1 ½ – 2 hours until doubled in size.

Once the dough is ready, bake them in a 350˚F oven for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Brush the hot, baked rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then serve.

Thanksgiving is about friends, family and of course – good food. These Whole Wheat Rosemary Rolls are easy to make and bake up beautifully – soft on the inside from the added potato flakes and golden brown on the outside. They have a sweet whole wheat flavor from the Hodgson Mill flours and the fresh rosemary gives them a little extra pizzazz that make them special enough for Thanksgiving dinner. Bake up a basketful of these Whole Wheat Rosemary Rolls for Thanksgiving or whenever you’re looking for a great whole grain side dish. Enjoy!

Instructions

Warm the milk and honey in a microwave safe bowl until it becomes bathwater warm – 1-2 minutes on high (around 110˚ F). Pour into a bread machine pan or large bowl and whisk in rosemary and yeast. Shut the lid of the bread machine or cover the bowl and allow the mixture to become foamy – about 5 minutes. Add the flours, oil, potato flakes, dry milk and salt to the milk mixture and begin the dough cycle on the bread machine. Monitor the dough for the first several minutes to make sure the dough comes together with the right consistency – soft but not sticky. Add more all purpose flour as necessary. Continue to let the dough run through the dough cycle in the bread machine. A dough hook on an electric mixer or kneading the dough by hand can take the place of a bread machine if need be. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size – about 1 ½ -2 hours.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface and divide it into two portions. Pat out one piece of dough into a 16-inch log or until you can easily divide/cut the dough into eight equal portions. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a lined baking sheet about one inch apart. Repeat with the second portion of dough. Cover the balls of dough with a large piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Allow the dough to rise in a warm area for about 1 ½ -2 hours or until doubled in size and then bake in a 350o F oven until light brown. Alternately, once the rolls are covered, store them in a refrigerator for up to a day before baking. Let the dough come to room temperature and finish rising until doubled in size if need be – about an hour. Bake accordingly. Brush the hot rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Let the rolls cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.